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Working and ageing
160 Guidance and counselling for mature learners

Policies may be presented as a binary of extremes, acknowledging that
between these there are many policy options open.

Table 8.2. Policy binary

Regulatory framework More flexible regulatory framework
Generational divide Across generations
Set retirement age Individually adapted retirement age

Early leaving penalties Transitional leaving
Lack of information Communication
Limited access to learning Access to learning opportunities
No career guidance support Individual career guidance support
Problematising the individual worker Valuing the individual worker

Source: Malloch, 2010.

Supportive, encouraging policies, with access to training and counselling
appear to be more successful than policies based on a more restrictive
approach. There is a case for gradual approaches to retirement, for phased
changes in work patterns, and for transitions within supportive environments.

8.9. Concluding comments and recommendations

In considering options for recommendations for the needs of an older
generation in relation to workforce participation, the examples of ʻgood
practiceʼ presented earlier in this chapter point us in a direction differing from
general European policy directions.
The older generation needs to be considered in the context of all society.
Simonazzi (2009) advocates that local labour-market policies should be
implemented with consideration of other generations and ʻbe complemented
by labour market reforms aiming at increasing demandʼ (p. 24). To retain older
workers, (p. 25) part-time work, reduced hours and workplace reorganisation
can help. As referred to above, her positive example is of the active age
initiative, an UrbAct project, with implementation of policies targeting training,
lifelong learning, employment, healthy working conditions, adaptation of the
workplace and work organisation to the needs of older workers, curbing age
discrimination, and fostering reconciliation and entrepreneurship.